What does Eddie Bauer mean to you? Does the brand bring images to your mind of women’s casual stores? The interior of a Ford Explorer? Mountain climbing gear? Well, at various times the brand has meant all these things, and now the company has announced plans to return to its mountaineering roots. It’s new sub-brand, First Ascent, is a line of outdoor gear that includes outerwear, tents and backpacks that will be sold in Eddie Bauer retail stores.

As Charlie Brown would say, “I don’t know, Linus. I just don’t know.” Yes, Eddie Bauer once did have the chops as a respected name in the outdoor world. But the brand started moving away from that two decades ago when it began to target the women’s casual wear market. I’m afraid that regardless of the quality of the First Ascent gear, the company may only be confusing its current customers while failing to effectively reach its former ones with this new line.

If CEO Neil Fiske and the the rest of the Eddie Bauer management team want to go all the way and return the brand to its roots, they may have a fighting chance. But if they’re trying to have it both ways, retaining the meaning of the current brand while renewing the equity of old, it could represent little more than a dangerous and destructive loss of focus. They may be setting themselves up for a very steep climb.